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Jim, as I stated in my previous post, I wouldn't make the statement that the IFR is "totally" unprotestable:
1.) R1, R2, 1 out -- batter pops up to F4, who in the umpire's judgement can field the ball with reasonable effort. He settles under the ball while on the outfield grass. The ball pops out of his glove; the umpire signals "no catch" and no IF.
2.) R1, R2, 1 out -- batter bunts one straight up towards the 3B line. F5 settles in underneath it in fair territory. Umpire calls "Infield fly, if fair!" Ball bounces off F5 in fair territory.
Jim, would you agree that each IF call could be protestable based on misapplication of the rules? "Blanket" statements just don't apply to the game of baseball; even the rule book itself makes such a statement we know not to be true after further reading. We know that the ball is not IMMEDIATELY dead on offensive interference (such as the case on a batter interfering with a catcher's throw), although the rules at one point state that the ball is dead at the point of infraction.
I'll agree that the "non-call balk" should be called at a certain level in a certain situation, but not EVERY time the manager yells it out, which is what I thought Carl was implying.
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